Optimization and deployment of CNNs at the Edge: The ALOHA experience

Deep learning (DL) algorithms have already proved their effectiveness on a wide variety of application domains, including speech recognition, natural language processing, and image classification. To foster their pervasive adoption in applications where low latency, privacy issues and data bandwidth are paramount, the current trend is to perform inference tasks at the edge. This requires deployment of DL algorithms on low-energy and resource-constrained computing nodes, often heterogenous and parallel, that are usually more complex to program and to manage without adequate support and experience. In this paper, we present ALOHA, an integrated tool flow that tries to facilitate the design of DL applications and their porting on embedded heterogenous architectures. The proposed tool flow aims at automating different design steps and reducing development costs. ALOHA considers hardware-related variables and security, power efficiency, and adaptivity aspects during the whole development process, from pre-training hyperparameter optimization and algorithm configuration to deployment

Development of the bioartificial vaginal wall: An in vitro stage

Objective. To obtain a tissue-engineered construct based on a nonwoven polycaprolactone carrier, human epithelial and stromal cells to make an artificial vagina. Material and methods. Fibrous material based on polycaprolactone was obtained by an electrospinning technique. A capillary method was used to colonize the full-thickness tissue-engineering design by stromal cells and a static method was employed to colonize the surface layer of the construct by vaginal epithelial cells. Results. The vaginal epithelial cells expressed EpSAM and p63; the stromal cells did vimentin and smooth muscle actin. After colonization, the stromal cells were evenly distributed in a 1.5-mm thick matrix; the epithelial cells were arranged in a dense layer on the inner surface of the construct, sinking to a depth of 88.9±32.5 μm. Conclusion. The tissue-engineered construct obtained is similar to the native vagina in architectonics and cell composition. © Bionika Media Ltd

РАЗРАБОТКА БИОАРТИФИЦИАЛЬНОЙ СТЕНКИ ВЛАГАЛИЩА: IN VITRO СТАДИЯ

Objective. To obtain a tissue-engineered construct based on a nonwoven polycaprolactone carrier, human epithelial and stromal cells to make an artificial vagina. Material and methods. Fibrous material based on polycaprolactone was obtained by an electrospinning technique. A capillary method was used to colonize the full-thickness tissue-engineering design by stromal cells and a static method was employed to colonize the surface layer of the construct by vaginal epithelial cells. Results. The vaginal epithelial cells expressed EpSAM and p63; the stromal cells did vimentin and smooth muscle actin. After colonization, the stromal cells were evenly distributed in a 1.5-mm thick matrix; the epithelial cells were arranged in a dense layer on the inner surface of the construct, sinking to a depth of 88.9±32.5 μm. Conclusion. The tissue-engineered construct obtained is similar to the native vagina in architectonics and cell composition. © Bionika Media Ltd.Цель исследования. Получение тканеинженерной конструкции на основе нетканого поликапролактонового носителя, эпителиальных и стромальных клеток человека для создания искусственного влагалища. Материал и методы. Волокнистый материал на основе поликапролактона получали методом электроформования. Для заселения стромальными клетками всей толщи тканеинженерной конструкции использовали капиллярный метод, для заселения эпителиальными клетками влагалища поверхностного слоя конструкции - статичный метод. Результаты. Эпителиальные клетки влагалища экспрессировали EpCAM и p63, стромальные клетки экспрессировали виментин и гладкомышечный актин. После заселения стромальные клетки были равномерно распределены в матриксе толщиной 1,5 мм; эпителиальные клетки располагались плотным пластом на внутренней поверхности конструкции, погружаясь на глубину 88,9±32,5 мкм. Заключение. Полученная тканеинженерная конструкция близка по своей архитектонике и клеточному составу нативному влагалищу

Nonwoven polycaprolactone scaffolds for tissue engineering: The choice of the structure and the method of cell seeding

Nonwoven polycaprolactone materials produced by electrospinning are perspective internal prosthetic implants. Seeding these implants with multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells stimulates the replacement of the prosthesis with recipient's own connective tissue. Electrospinning method was used for producing polycaprolactone matrices differing in thickness, pore diameter, fiber size, and biomechanical properties. Labeled cells were seeded on scaffolds in three ways: (1) static, (2) dynamic, and (3) directed flow of the cell suspension generated by capillary action. Cell distribution on the surface and the interior of the scaffolds was studied; the metabolic activity of cells was measured by MTT assay. Static seeding method yielded fully confluence of cells covered the entire scaffold surface, but the cells were located primarily in the upper third of the matrix. Dynamic method proved to be effective only for scaffolds of thickness greater than 500 microns, irrespective of the pore diameter. The third method was effective only for scaffolds with the pore diameter of 20-30 microns, regardless of the material thickness. Resorbable nonwoven polycaprolactone electrospun materials have appropriate biomechanical properties and similar to native tissue matrix structures for internal prosthesis. The choice of the most effective cell seeding method depends on the spatial characteristics - the material thickness, pore diameter, and fibers size, which are determined by the electrospinning conditions

Нетканые материалы на основе поликапролактона для тканевой инженерии: выбор структуры и способа заселения

Nonwoven polycaprolactone materials produced by electrospinning are perspective internal prosthetic implants. Seeding these implants with multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells stimulates the replacement of the prosthesis with recipient's own connective tissue. Electrospinning method was used for producing polycaprolactone matrices differing in thickness, pore diameter, fiber size, and biomechanical properties. Labeled cells were seeded on scaffolds in three ways: (1) static, (2) dynamic, and (3) directed flow of the cell suspension generated by capillary action. Cell distribution on the surface and the interior of the scaffolds was studied; the metabolic activity of cells was measured by MTT assay. Static seeding method yielded fully confluence of cells covered the entire scaffold surface, but the cells were located primarily in the upper third of the matrix. Dynamic method proved to be effective only for scaffolds of thickness greater than 500 microns, irrespective of the pore diameter. The third method was effective only for scaffolds with the pore diameter of 20-30 microns, regardless of the material thickness. Resorbable nonwoven polycaprolactone electrospun materials have appropriate biomechanical properties and similar to native tissue matrix structures for internal prosthesis. The choice of the most effective cell seeding method depends on the spatial characteristics - the material thickness, pore diameter, and fibers size, which are determined by the electrospinning conditions.Нетканые материалы на основе поликапролактона, полученные методом электроформования, являются перспективными имплантатами для эндопротезирования. Заселение таких имплантатов мультипотентными мезенхимальными стромальными клетками способствует замещению протеза собственной соединительной тканью реципиента. Целью настоящего исследования являлось сравнение эффективности трех методов заселения клетками нетканых носителей на основе поликапролактона, обладающих различными пространственными характеристиками. Методом электроформования были получены три образца поликапролактоновых матриц, отличающихся толщиной, диаметром пор и волокон, биомеханическими свойствами. Заселение носителей мечеными мультипотентными мезенхимальными стромальными клетками пупочного канатика проводили тремя способами: статичным, динамическим и методом с использованием капиллярного эффекта. Оценивали распределение клеток по поверхности и толщине образцов, метаболическую активность клеток измеряли с помощью МТТ-теста. Статичный метод позволил получить носители с равномерным покрытием поверхности, однако клетки в основном располагались в верхней трети матрикса. Динамический метод оказался эффективен только для носителей толщиной более 500 мкм, независимо от диаметра пор. Метод заселения с использованием капиллярного эффекта был эффективен только для носителей с диаметром пор 20-30 мкм, независимо от толщины материала. Биорезорбируемые нетканые материалы на основе по-ликапролактона, полученные методом электроформования, обладают подходящими биомеханическими свойствами для выполнения пластики дефектов стенок брюшной полости, имеют сходное с матриксом нативной ткани строение. Выбор наиболее эффективного метода заселения носителей клетками зависит от его пространственных характеристик - толщины материала, диаметра пор и волокон, которые, в свою очередь, определяются условиями электроформования материала

Bioengineered Bile Duct: the project resume and state of the art in 2018

Aim. Development of the physiologically relevant tissue-engineered graft for repair of bile duct injures (Dyuzheva et al., 2016). <br><br>Conclusions. Designed scaffold showed no cytotoxicity, both BM-MSCs and cholangiocytes migrated into the depth of fibrous material. The constructs was biodegradable in various model mediums: deionized water, phosphate buffer, bile, full culture medium. The next step is pre-clinical trials on rabbits and minipigs for assessment of implantation safety and efficacy. We suppose that this tubular multilayered tissue-engineered construct will be capable to integration in native tissues after implantation and may be used to injured bile duct reparation